The family of a 14-year-old boy who was killed last week in Joza say that they demand justice for their child’s murder. They also say that "it hurts to see suspects roaming free in the streets while we are burying our own child."
The family of a 14-year-old boy who was killed last week in Joza say that they demand justice for their child’s murder. They also say that "it hurts to see suspects roaming free in the streets while we are burying our own child."
In the previous edition of Grocott’s Mail we reported that the deceased was a 12-year-old learner from Mary Waters, however it has since been confirmed that he was a 14-year-old learner from George Dickerson Primary School.
According to a police report, the deceased and a friend were walking from Joza to Xolani on Wednesday afternoon when they were assaulted by a group of boys. It is alleged that earlier in the day a fight had broken out in I Street between the deceased and one of the attackers, reportedly a learner at Ntaba Maria school. Police say the suspect confronted the deceased and his friend later in the day in Ncame Street. The suspect and his friends then cornered the deceased and according to the police report, "the suspect then drew a knife and stabbed him (the deceased) once in the chest. He died on the scene." The murder accused appeared in the Magistrates Court on Friday.
The deceased’s uncle, Landile Sandi, says that the incident has come as shock to the family because his nephew was not a violent child. "He had good manners, was kind and caring, and he looked after his grandparents very well." The deceased lived with his two grandmothers, 91-year-old Nomise Sandi and 73-year-old Mavis Sandi both of whom have been traumatised by his murder. "Why did they have to take my grandchild’s life, he wouldn’t have harmed anyone," said grief-stricken Nomise. She also said that he used to look after them and was a respectful child.
Landile Sandi says he was alerted by one of his colleagues on Wednesday afternoon that his nephew had been stabbed to death. He rushed to the scene in Joza where he found an angry crowd of community members searching for the suspects in different houses. One of the neighbours, Jane Nkwinti, says she is hurt by what happened because the deceased "was a very good child who always assisted his neighbours."
